Ambedkar statue defaced in Chennai

Adding to the list of statues of leaders being vandalised in various parts of the country, a bust of Dalit leader B R Ambedkar in a residential locality in Chennai was found defaced on Thursday, triggering a protest by locals, police said.

The bust, placed inside a structure covered with a grill in a residential neighbourhood in Tiruvotriyur, was splattered with paint.

As news of the defacement spread, people in the north Chennai area staged a protest. A police team led by Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) G Shashank Sai visited the spot and assured action against the culprits.

"Based on a complaint from the local people, we have registered an FIR and two special teams have been formed to trace the culprits," the DCP said.

More police pickets have been posted in the area for maintenance of law and order, he said.

A series of incidents of desecration of statues of various leaders, including Ambedkar, rationalist E V Ramasamy "Periyar" and Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, have been reported from different parts of the country.

The incidents began after statues of Communist icon Vladimir Lenin were pulled down in Tripura following the BJP's victory in the Assembly elections, ending 25 years of Communist rule.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly condemned the vandalism and said stern action would be taken against those found guilty.